The Light House When eco-activist Zem Joaquin refurbished her northern California home, she did everything she could to soften its enviromental impact—but with remarkable panache
houseandgarden.com

Former Milan fashionista Zem Joaquin is editor-in-chief of the blog ecofabulous.com, which she founded to ferret out the best in green design. (She's also a House & Garden eco-editor.) When she and her husband bought their house in northern California, built in the mid-'60s by a naval architect, Zem determined to take eco-chic to a new level. She wanted to wow skeptics who expected a granola aesthetic.

Reworking what she already owned, adding furnishings made from reclaimed materials, and relying on a bevy of green sources, Joaquin created fresh interiors with little strain on the enviroment.

In the living room, she had a Coterie sofa by Ironies filled with natural rubber. A grouping next to the fireplace includes an Indian table from Past Perfect, San Francisco, a Jacques Adnet folding chair, and a framed Capulet crest from Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet.

Antiques are of course among the greenest options, since they require only the energy cost of shipping. Joaquin was delighted that a Parzinger console from 1stDibs fit perfectly in her master bedroom. Adam P. Gale, an artist who often uses reclaimed metal, made the bronze turtle shell and the curtain rod.

The house accomodates a changing climate with clerestory windows, a design that floods the interiors with light while blocking three seasons of sun.

Custom-fitted bamboo and silk coverings by Smith + Noble help with what she calls sun management. "If you can can't find an eco-friendly fabric go with silk," she says, because the manufacturing process is less enviromentally damaging than that of other fabrics.

Vintage pieces form a vignette between the living and dining rooms. Renzo Rutili bench from Emmerson Troop, L.A.; Tibetan painting from Trout Farm Antiques, Berkeley, CA.

The bold vintage pieces in the entry include armchairs reupholstered with green silk remnants, a vintage table with faux-bois base, a sculpture from Benjamin Storck, LTD., and nickel lanterns with soy candles. Graphic curtains from a flea market need no alterations.

Dylan plays with stuffed sea creatures in his nautically themed bedroom. A Speed Boat bed and trundle from Pottery Barn Kids and a photo of the Baltic Sea by Grant Ernhart from Sarlo Wick, San Francisco, helps set the scene.

Zoë sits in her room, which is painted in an AFM Safecoat pink. A vintage chair with Zebra-print upholstery adds edge.

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